We touched down in Italy following a very early departure from our ferry. 6:05am to be precise. Very tired, we now faced the challenge of driving 200km. Should we take the direct 2hr route, or the scenic 5 hr route? hahahahahah. 2hrs please ‘ditzy’.
Where the former now reside. I challenge any credible travel writer to note any cemetery worthy a visit. All right, there may be a few, but the largest cemetery in Milan is certainly worthy of a stop. We happened by chance as we were parking on the outskirts of Milan in order to catch a tram to the centre.
Immediately noticeable was the district of tombstone and associated sculptures. Then came the florists with their assortment of natural and faux-natural bouquets. It was eerie, loved ones shopped along the street for suitable adornments for the last resting place for their dearly deceased, or soon to be.
It all became obvious when we turned a corner and were presented with the triumphal archway of the ‘Cimitero Maggiore di Milano’ and the surprises within. Accepted that this visit was rather morbid, but also very impressive. Trust the Catholics to out do each other when it comes to the deceased. Family tombs are unlike any that we see in Australia. Large above and underground chapels hold whole families in a series of one-upmanship. So impressive are these tombs, we battled the searing 35 degree heat to see as much as we could. When the heat became too much, we headed underground where the endless subterranean tunnels of the cremated were kept. Enamel photos of the entombed adorn the walls ranging from 2-month-old babies to great-grandparents. This was also the first resting place of the infamous Mussolini, in an unmarked grave, following his death in 1945.
This unorthodox family visit turned out to be a great educational experience for our boys whom had never experienced anything like this and had many questions about death, and religion, and birth and families….
Our quick visit had turned into 45min and we had to head to the city. We boarded our tram for a leisurely trip to the city centre. But not before a well dressed, middle aged, tanned man using a walking cane boarded. Upon entering the tram he started a conversation to no one in particular. At first it was simply a quiet discussion but before long he was addressing the entire tram. His passion for the subject, guessing it was politically based, was at first inspiring but quickly turned to near violence when nearby passengers – some with small children, confronted him and pleaded and end.
From earth to Heaven. One of my must see stops in Milan was the Cathedral of Milan. The 5th largest cathedral in the world, it took 600 years to complete. Rounding the corner from our tram stop we were confronted by the big, white, spired beast. The cathedral has no less than 120 spires and when bathed in sunlight, which I am told is not a regular occurrence, is truly an impressive building.
So large that queues are not necessary, it can house everyone. A quick check by the military, some adherences to respectful dress regulations and we were in. Currently undergoing some much-needed restoration to the walls that were suffering from pollution damage, there is some internal scaffolding but this did not detract from the experience.
We are becoming accustomed to the spiritual visits. But what we were not prepared to see were the mummified cardinals, one dead for some 450 years, resting in state, on show, for all to see. This, as you can imagine, was the source of many questions from the boys. Who is he? Why is he not in the ground? Is that a real person? Is he a zombie? True, it was an impressive view but I am not sure it is the most respectful. Lying in state, in a glorified fish tank for all to see and gaze in bewilderment.
Where the ‘bling-bling’ go to shop. I must admit that I had been warned about Milan. I was to expect a city that did not live up to expectations. I was surprised. Sure, the exterior of the city was worn and tattered, just like any large European city would. But if your sights are adequately set on shopping and some little sight seeing, you will not be left disappointed. The shopping, ohh the shopping. There are boutiques from every brand imaginable, and more. From the exterior it is quite clear that this is a rag-tag city. Small clothing shops brim full of the latest must-have, Chinese made clothing, albeit still very fashionable.
Once you penetrate this outer layer you reach the real shopping. For kilometers radiating from the centre you will find arcades full of shops, none grander than the ‘Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II’ which is reputed to be the worlds oldest shopping mall. The Galleria was an impressive sight. Think of the QVB building on steroids.
After 36 days and just shy of 4,000km it was time to hand over the keys to ‘ditzy’ to its new Italian owner. So many fond memories, many more than we would have had if we stuck to the most direct route and not taken the ‘ditzy’ scenic way.
The remainder of our stay was on the outskirts of Milan where we were to connect with a flight to Greece and the Ionian islands of Kefalonia and Ithaki.